Emma's Country Kitchen

1108 St Clair W, at Northcliffe, 416-652-3662, emmascountrykitchen.com. Ex-Stockyards head cook Rachel Pellett and partner Heather Mee parlay a successful catering business into what's quite possibly downtown's best new weekend brunch spot. The café's minimal weekday lineup's not too shabby either, most notably the exemplary retro baked goods and not-to-be-missed $1 bags of potato chips. Foodie fact: the site of the original Pusateri's circa 1963. Best: to start, those fabulously flaky biscuits sided with blueberry peach preserves and whipped honey butter; the same biscuits as eggs Benedict with house-smoked peameal, poached eggs and a hollandaise infused with whipped cream; the Hangover burger, a sage-spiked patty made of ground Beretta Farms pork sausage dressed with local cheddar, house-cured bacon and a house-baked bun and sided with skinny thyme-flecked frites worthy of Jamie Kennedy; a breakfast poutine of said terrific frites topped with bacon, cheddar, hollandaise and two poached ‘n' deep-fried eggs; peach-compote-swirled French toast topped with glazed Ontario peaches. Average main $12. Open for brunch Sunday 9 am to 4 pm. No reservations. Unlicensed. Access: barrier-free. Rating: NNNN

Federal Reserve

1438 Dundas W, at Dufferin, 647-352-9120, thefed.ca. With owners whose CVs include stints at Terroni, the Rivoli, the Swan and Woodlot, it's little wonder this 36-seat all-day lunch ‘n' brunch café is such a well-oiled machine. And it needs to be to keep up with the weekend crush. Show up after 11 and join the queue on the sidewalk. Best: lightly toasted cheddar scones; classic Cobb salads with free-range chicken confit, Bosc pear, avocado, bacon and hard-boiled egg over arugula and spinach in blue cheese dressing; grilled Cubano sandwiches of pulled pork, Black Forest ham, cheddar and avocado on toasted St Johns Bakery raisin bread; buttermilk Belgian waffles finished with whipped cream and maple syrup; house-made lemony ginger ale. Complete meals for $22 per person, including tax, tip and a soda. Average main $12. Open for brunch Sunday 9 am to 3 pm. Unlicensed. Access: barrier-free, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNNN

White Brick Kitchen

641 Bloor W, at Euclid, 647-347-9188, thewhitebrickkitchen.com. After a stint in the pit at the Stockyards, former Beretta and Rowe Farms butcher Stephen Howell and company transform a Koreatown café into one of the best new brunch spots around. Informal room, friendly, casual service. Best: to start, a $4 grapefruit mimosa made with 2 ounces of Spumanti Bambino, followed by pastry chef Haley Franklin's buttery English muffins spread with Ontario blueberry compote; spectacular mains like crisply battered southern-fried chicken coupled with a brilliantly pickled jalapeño dipping sauce, local greens in a lemony vinaigrette and the inevitable fried egg; vegetarian deep-fried "Scotch-ish" poached eggs over toasted baguette and cubed home fries; chocolate banana bread French toast with caramelized fruit and salted caramel; sides of house-cured hickory bacon; to finish, house-baked blueberry scones. Complete brunches for $25 per person, including tax, tip and a beef-bacon Caesar. Average main $12. Open for brunch Sunday 9 am to 4 pm. Licensed. Access: short step at door, washrooms in basement. Rating: NNNN